Staple driving and forming blade mechanism



June 13, 1961 G. P. HEILMAN STAPLE DRIVING AND FORMING BLADE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 13, 1961 G. P. HEILMAN STAPLE DRIVING AND FORMING BLADE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HTTORA/Ef GEORGE E HEILMHIV, awdwz m United States Patent 2,987,725 STAPLE DRIVING AND FORMING BLADE MECHANISM George P. Heilman, Herrin, 11]., assignor to International Staple and Machine Company, Herrin, 11]., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 717,042 3 Claims. (Cl. 1-48) This invention relates to improvements in staple driving blades and in particular is concerned with a staple driving blade which has means for forming in a preliminary operation a staple to a U-shaped configuration so that it may be acted on by the staple driving blade.

There has been developed by means of this invention a combination staple driving and forming blade in which the forming portion of the blade may be used to form strips of metal, which may be either in blank form or partially formed to a staple configuration, to a finished staple so that they may be further operated upon by the blade in a driving section in the conventional manner. in the past, there have been developed various forms of staples in the unfinished form and it is a particular consequence of this invention to develop means to form the staples to their finished configuration, and then provide means for driving the staple. It is a further consequence of this invention that the staple driving and forming blade may be used with previously formed staples such as the conventional U-shaped staple stick.

One particular type of staple that may be used with the staple driving and forming blade of this invention is that shown in the Forrester Patent No. 2,703,402, assigned to International Staple and Machine Company, applicants assignee. This patent shows a space saving staple and staple clip in which the staples have a conventional flat crown in which the legs diverge therefrom at about a 15 angle from the plane of the crown. Such staples are of value in their nesting relationship in that one staple may be very simply placed on top of the other in space saving manner.

By means of the instant invention such space saving staples as the staples in Patent No. 2,703,402 may be used in a standard stapling machine magazine and advanced to the staple driving and forming blade and preliminarily formed to the U-shaped configuration and then stapled. However, it is to be understood that the staple forming portion of this machine may be used with other types of staple blanks, either in a fiat configuration with the diverging leg and intermediate crown portions in a single plane or partially formed. This will be more evident from a complete description of the invention hereinbelow.

This invention through the provided staple driving and forming blade acts in such a manner that the forming section of the blade preliminarily forms the ends of the staple to parallel legs connected to an intermediate crown to provide a conventional U-shaped staple. Subsequently the driving portion of the blade drives the formed staple in a conventional stapling operation. This feature of the invention is of broad utility and may be used in various types of stapling machines as will be Well understood in the art. However for purposes of illustration the invention will be described in relation to a retractable anvil type of stapling machine with the reservation that the staple driving and forming blade is not limited thereto.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a staple driving and forming blade having means for forming a staple blank to a staple configuration and driving means for driving the formed staple.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a staple driving and forming blade which is adapted to receive staples in sequence in a manner such that staple blanks are preliminarily formed to a complete staple by a forming section of the blade and then sequentially acted upon by the driving blade to drive the staple into a work piece.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a staple driving and forming blade which is adapted to receive a staple blank and a previously formed staple in such a manner that a staple blank may be first of all fed to the forming section of the blade and a previously formed staple may be stapled by the driving portion of the blade in a single operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a staple driving and forming blade which may be used in conventional stapling machines having a staple stick magazine in such a manner that staple blanks may be fed in each operation of the stapling machine so that a staple blank is formed by the staple forming section to a finished staple and a previously formed staple may be driven by the staple driving blade.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a staple driving and forming blade which may be used in conventional stapling machines to form staple blanks to a finished staple configuration and may be used with conventional staple sticks of already formed configuration without any change or adjustment required.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a stapling machine having means for passing a stick of staple blanks to a staple driving and forming blade in which in each operation of the machine a staple blank is formed by a forming section of the blade to a finished configuration and in which the driving portion of the blade acts upon a previously formed staple from the immediately preceding operation to drive it into a work piece.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a staple driving and forming blade in which the forming and driving portions of the blade may be of integral construction, and in which the components may be very simply formed and are of rugged characteristics and can be easily installed in conventional stapling machines.

Further objects of this invention will appear in the detailed description which follows, and will be further apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustration, there is shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of this invention. It is to be understood that these drawings are for the purpose of illustration and example only, however, and that the invention is not limited thereto. The particular type of stapling machine shown is also to be understood to be merely for the purpose of showing the applicability of the staple driving and forming blade in stapling machines and the usefulness of this invention is not limited to any one particular type of stapling machine.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a hand operated stapling machine equipped with the staple driving and forming blade of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken through the middle of the stapling machine of FIGURE 1 in side elevation;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in cross section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1, showing the staple driving and forming blade and a forming block employed within the stapling machine;

FIGURE 4 is a view in cross section taken similarly to staple from the staple stick as will later appear.

3 FIGURE 3 but showing a further stage in the operation just as the staple driving blade contacts a previously formed staple shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken similarly to FIGURES 3 and 4 showing the final stage in the operation of the stapling machine in which the previously formed staple is driven to the clinched position and a blank staple is formed by the forming section of the driving blade to a finished staple;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged viewin section taken on the line 6.6 of FIGURE 1 showing the internal construction employed within the stapling machine;

FIGURE 7 is a pictorial view of a space saving staple stick that may be employed with this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a rear elevational view of the staple driving and forming blade and forming block simply portrayed for simple understanding of this invention;

FIGURE 9 is a view taken similarly to FIGURE 8 showing a further stage in the operation as the staple driving blade drives the previously formed staple and as the forming elements begin to contact the staple blank;

FIGURE 10 is a view taken similarly to FIGURES 8 and 9 showing a final stage of the operation of the staple driving and forming blade; and

FIGURE 11 is a pictorial view of the staple driving and forming blade and forming block at a stage in the operation identical with that of FIGURE 10 and showing retractable anvils in dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawings, the staple driving and forming blade and its associated staple forming block are shown in their simplest form in FIGURES 8 through 11, inclusive. In FIGURES 1 through 6 inclusive the staple driving and forming blade are shown incorporated in a retractable anvil type of stapling machine generally indicated by the reference numeral 20. In this stapling machine a staple stick 21 shown in FIGURE 7 and composed of individually partially'formed staples 22 are utilized. These staples are of the type shown in Patent No. 2,703,402 having diverging legs so that the staple sticks may be nested one on top of another in a space saving relation.

For the purpose of simplicity the staple driving and forming blade,. generally indicated by the reference numeral'23, and the die block 24, shown in FIGURES 8 through 11, will be first described. The staple driving and forming blade 23 is composed of two essential parts which are the staple driving blade 25 and the staple forming section 26. The staple forming section 26 is formed integrally with the staple driving blade and is composed of two forming elements or gibs 27 and 28. The staple forming gibs are in the nature of raised ribs as best appears in FIGURE 11, and have a curved lower portion 31 and 32, respectively, so that when they strike the leg portions of the staple, Wear is minimized.

It will be seen that the bottom portions of the staple forming gibs are elevated with respect to the bottom contacting portion of the staple driving blade so that in the sequence of operation the previously formed staple is first contacted by the staple driving blade to break apart. a The staple forming gibs are adapted to bend the opposite ends of a staple blank as shown in FIGURE 8 into a U-shaped configuration against the forming block 24. The forming block is provided with recesses 33 and 34 at 'its sides so that the legs may be bent to a vertical position and the legs may be received in the recesses slight-1y inwardly, or in a converging position as they are formed by the staple forming gibs. This takes into consideration the springlike nature of the legs as they are so formed and permit a certain degree of over travel of the formed legs as a compensating feature'and minimizes the 'force required to overcome friction.

In FIGURES 1 through fithe staple driving andlfor'm-- ingblade. 23 of this invention is shown incorporated in a manually operated stapling machine 20. This stapling machine, which is shown merely for the purpose of illustration of this invention, has an operating handle 36 attached to a standard 37. An operating link 38 is connected between the handle and a driving block 39. This block in turn is connected to links 41 and 42 which are connected at their opposite ends to retractable anvils 43 and 44. These retractable anvils are pivoted within the standard and are adapted to pierce the workpiece being operated upon to provide an anvil for the staple to be driven into the workpiece as is conventional for this type of machine.

A conventional magazine 46 is connected to the rear of the stapling machine and may be provided with a conventional staple pusher to advance a stick of staples to the operating portions of the stapling machine, as is well understood in the art.

The staple driving and forming blade '23 is integrally connected to the rear of the operating block 39 as shown in FIGURE 2 so that the raised forming gibs 27 and 28 likewise protrude to the rear. The positioning of the staple driving and forming blade is such that the forming gibs are positioned over a staple blank while the driving blade is positioned over a previously formed staple, so that in a single cycle of operation a previously formed staple may be driven by the driving blade into the workpiece and the forming gibs may form a staple blank to a finished staple to be used in a subsequent operation.

A staple stick such as the staple stick 21 of FIGURE 7 is supported within the magazine upon a lower staple guide rest 48. An upperstaple guide or shield 49 is positioned in spaced relation to the lower staple guide to receive the staple stick and to prevent its rocking or dislodgement during the operation of the stapling machine. This upper staple guide, as best appears in FIGURE 6,

a completely covers the top of the magazine at its forward portion and has a protruding stripper portion 51 which overlies the staple blank being formed to the finished staple. The forward end stops short of a previously formed staple such as shown in dotted lines at 52 in FIG URE 6. This clearance permits the movement of the staple driving blade onto the top of the finished staple while covering the next connected staple blank so that it will not be torn apart from the staple stick in the staple driving operation.

It will be further noted that the protruding of the staple stripper from the forward portion of the upper staple guide provides an exposed area in the form of shoulders 53 and 54 at the opposite sides of the staple guide so that the forming gibs may move down upon and contact the exposed terminal portions of the staple blank to form them into the finished staple legs. The staple blanks situated to the rear of the staple blank being worked upon are covered by the staple guide so that they are not disturbed and breaking apart of the staples in the staple stick is thereby prevented.

Operation For the purpose of illustration, the general application of the staple driving and forming blade and its associated forming block will be first disclosed in reference to FIG- URES 8 to 11. It will be assumed that the retractable anvils are used to clinch over the driven staple, but it will be equally well understood that a stationary anvil may be employed, or no anvil at all. In this operation a staple stick 21 containing partially formed staples of the type 22, shown in FIGURE 7, may be employed, although it will be equally well understood that completely flat staples or staples formed to any degree of partial formation may be utilized. These staples are situated over the forming block 24 and are urged by any convenient means to a position to advance them towards the staple driving and forming blade.

In this operation it will be assumed that a previously formed staple has already been made in a prioroperation. .I -Iowever, at the start of operation with a new stick ofstaples, the first or leading staple may be formed by positioning it directly underneath the forming elements. Afterthis staple is formed the stick of staples maybe advanced in the usual fashion.

{The previously formed staple is positioned under the staple driving blade and as the staple driving and forming blade is lowered the staple driving blade 25 first contacts the previously formed staple here identified as staple 52. This staple is sheared apart from the staple stick and is driven to the position shown in FIGURE 9, at which point the forming gibs 27 and 28 first contact the top portions of the staple blank legs here shown as legs 61 and 62. As the staple driving and forming blade is further lowered to the position shown in FIGURE 10, the previously formed staple 52 is clinched over against the retractable anvils 43 and 44 while the forming gibs 31 and 32 bend the legs 61 and 62 to the finished form shown in FIGURES and 11. Any over travel tendency of the legs 61 and 62 is compensated for by the recesses 33 and 34 in the forming block which eases the force required in the operation.

After this operation has been completed the staple driving and forming blade is raised and is then ready for another operation in the aforementioned manner. Thus, it will be seen that in each cycle a previously formed staple is first broken apart and driven by the staple driving blade 25, while the forming gibs 27 and 28 form a staple blank to a finished staple to be handled in the next cycle by the staple driving blade.

The operation of the stapling machine 20 of FIGURES 1 to 6 is simply understod once the basic operation of the staple driving and forming blade has been described. Thus, when the handle 36 is lowered from the position shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the connecting link causes the operating block 39 to be lowered. As this lowering takes place to the position shown in FIGURE 4, the retractable anvils are pivoted to the position shown in this figure and the staple driving blade first contacts the top of a previously formed staple shown in dotted lines as staple 52. As the operation continues to the finished position shown in FIGURE 5, this finished staple is broken apart from the staple stick and driven to the clinched position shown. Simultaneously as the forming gibs 27 and 28' are lowered from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to that in FIGURE 5, the staple terminal leg portions 61 and 62 will be bent to the vertical position by cooperation with the forming block 24.

After the handle has been lowered to the finished position shown in FIGURE 5, it is retracted to the starting position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. When this has been effected the staple stick 21 is advanced by a staple pusher (not shown) so that the staple 22, which has been formed in the previous operation, is advanced underneath the staple driving blade. It is limited in its advance movement by the contact against the base portions of the retractable anvils or any other stop mechanism required. Once the staple stick has been advanced a new staple blank is positioned underneath the forming gibs so that the legs can be contacted through the cutout shoulder portions 53 and 54 in the next operation.

It will be seen that by this invention there has been provided a very simple operating staple driving and forming blade which can be used to form staples to a finished position and then drive them in a single operation. This is of great advantage in operating upon staple sticks which for space saving reasons are desired to be nested in a manner shown in Patent No. 2,703,402, or in other variations, such as where completely flat staples or further formed staples are employed.

Various changes and modifications may be made in this invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus it will be readily apparent that the invention may be used with various types of stapling machines and 6 that this invention is not limited to the particular stapling machine shown in this invention. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stapling machine having means for feeding staple blanks in transversely positioned side-by-side relation, said staple blanks being adhesively connected to form a stick, each staple blank having an intermediate crown and end leg portions, apparatus comprising, in combination, a hollow standard, a rearwardly extending substantially horizontal magazine for said stick connected to said standard, said standard and magazing defining a whole fiat underside for said machine, means in said magazine defining a relatively close fitting and continuous sliding space for guiding said stick toward longitudinally adjoining forming and driving positions at the front thereof, a vertically reciprocable relatively fiat transverse driving blade movable parallel to and in alignment with the top of the crown portion of the foremost staple in said stick, said blade having a thickness substantially equal to the thickness from front to back of a staple and a bottom contacting portion for such crown portion, stop means for the front edge of said stick, a forming block parallel to and in alignment with the underside of the crown portion of the next to the foremost staple in said stick, said block having a vertical front face, a width substantially equal to the width of said crown portion and a height at least equal to the length of said legs, vertically reciprocable laterally spaced and opposed staple leg bending elements positioned next to the rear of said blade and in the plane of said next to the foremost staple, said vertical elements having inwardly facing vertical forming surfaces with a width therebetween substantially equal to the width of the crown of a staple blank, the respective lower ends of said forming surfaces being adapted to press along substantially the entire length of the leg portions of each staple blank next to said foremost staple to bend said leg portions into substantially parallel downwardly extending vertical legs to provide a formed staple without breaking said stick, said vertical elements being positioned above said bottom contacting portion of said blade and operative therewith, retractable anvils movable about longitudinally extending pivots in said standard having workpiece piercing portions rearwardly offset therefrom substantially in the plane of said blade and adapted to move below said base and beneath the foremost staple to clinch the legs of said lastmentioned staple driven by said blade, and common operator means operatively connected to said standard, driving blade, vertical elements and anvils.

2. A stapling machine as set forth in claim 1 having said vertical forming surfaces having a thickness substantially equal to the thickness from front to back of a staple, means to restrain a newly formed staple in alignment with said vertical elements from following said vertical surfaces as they rise after a forming operation, and said block with lateral corners and sides recessed inwardly toward the vertical centerline of said block below said corners.

3. A stapling machine as set forth in claim 1, in which, said staple blanks in said stick before forming have a substantially fiat crown portion and widely diverging leg portions, said first-named means comprise a lower staple stick rest and an upper staple stick guide cover, said cover has a forwardly projecting stripper tongue to restrain a newly formed staple from following said vertical surfaces as they rise after a forming operation, said retractable anvils other than said piercing portions have vertical rear faces to act as said stop means, and said common operating means being pivotally connected to said standard and extending generally rearwardly above said magazine.

(References on following page) V 4 References Cited in the file of this patent VUNITED STATES PATENTS Greenfield Dec. 1, 1896 Palmgren July 15, 1913 5 Ford Sept. 28, 1915 Wentworth May 10, 1921 8 qPalmgzen ..;-Feb.; 11, 1930 ,PaImgren' June,3,, 1930 Maynard, Apr;v 2,1940 1 Hazewinkel June 17,1947. Reece Aug.,12, 1952 Schafroth Nov. 1, 1955 .Wasynczak Aug.. 19, 1958 

